From April 29 until October 8, Pluto will retrograde, causing everyone to do emotional and spiritual cleansing.
What is a planet in retrograde?
When a planet is considered to be in retrograde, it seems to be rotating backward from the perspective of Earth.
In a manner analogous to a fast automobile or train passing a slower vehicle, the planet being passed will seem to halt and go backward during the apparent retrograde phase.
There’s a good chance you’ve been in a car that seemed to be driving in reverse as it passed. Once the Earth has completed its orbit around this planet, the motion returns to normal. It is stated that the planet is “direct” or “prograde” (to use the scientific term).
What is a Pluto retrograde?
Like the other outer planets, Pluto spends around five months yearly in retrograde motion. As with previous planet retrogrades, we will often experience a reduction in the planet’s intensity.
Retrogrades are moments for contemplation, and Pluto’s backspin may lead to fascinating revelations if you delve deeply. From 2008 until 2024, while Pluto is in Capricorn, we are resolving concerns of financial imbalance, building new monetary systems, and struggling with the environmental effect of industrialization.
Both positive and negative global trends have occurred in these fields. Pluto’s “rip it down, trash it, and then rebuild” strategy has left its imprint on various marketplaces. Pluto’s transit of Capricorn started in late 2008 with the housing crisis and bank bailouts. As this transition continued, central banks were given a literal run for their money by the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies, which allegedly return fiscal authority to “the people.”
Expectations during Pluto’s retrograde
During Pluto’s next five-month retrograde, you may have to confront several specters head-on. Because Pluto is a slow-moving outer planet (yes, we still refer to it as a zodiac sign planet, despite what scientists say), its influence may be felt globally.
Capricorn is the sign that governs patriarchy. With Pluto’s presence, we’ve seen its ugliest manifestations, notably in 2016, the midway of this Pluto cycle. This is now seen as a severe danger to Roe v. Wade that might undermine women’s reproductive rights. (Note: Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio, which regulates reproduction. Thus it is not surprising that this cycle delivers a frightening real-world manifestation of “The Handmaid’s Tale.)
In 2022, the privilege structures dominated by Capricorn are exerting pressure on the rights of many individuals. Along with voting suppression, these power moves have been in the works for quite some time. Unfortunately, Pluto plans in secret before revealing its effect.
During Pluto’s retrograde, one may sense the expanding political gulf in ways that sometimes made individuals feel like they were captives of their circumstances. However, these catastrophes may also mobilize, bringing out the light in all of us to battle the darkness.
What is shadow work exactly?
The notion of “the shadow self” gives rise to the idea of shadow work. Carl Jung invented the term to refer to the unconscious aspects of our personality that we often reject and project. Have you ever observed that the individuals that irritate you are simply a reflection of a facet of yourself that you would rather avoid? For instance, you may despise “entitled individuals.” Still, you suddenly realize that you’ve been behaving a little entitled yourself.
Our propensity is to attribute undesirable attributes to others while ignoring our flaws. Pluto governs these repressed aspects of our minds. Shadow work is a therapeutic examination of these “exiled” elements, in which we approach them with gentleness and bravery.
We may learn to express these so-called negative qualities (fear or jealousy) in healthy ways if we do not suppress them. Taking ownership of your fear, for instance, allows you to declare, “That worries me,” and then go on. Alternatively, you may compensate by boosting your ego. Rather than suppressing your fear and rejecting everything that makes you anxious, you have much more room to develop and experiment.
During the retrograde, there is an opportunity to delve deeper into these concealed strata. However, do not punish yourself! Bringing awareness to one’s shadows is a process that requires an abundance of self-compassion.
How to make the most of the Pluto retrograde cycle
Pluto has been in retrograde motion at the same time each year. As a consequence, our “spring awakenings” have been quite abrupt. However, it’s also a chance to address issues you’ve been avoiding, disregarding, or glossing over. Utilize Pluto’s retrograde cycle to rectify matters if your honesty is under doubt. Now is not the time for deception or excuses; you do not want to be at the center of a controversy. Keep your affairs transparent.
During Pluto’s retrograde, transformative development may be halted. We stop to analyze all emotions, including pain, sadness, and vengeance fantasies, without (happily) responding to each one. It may seem that nothing is happening on the surface during these retrogrades. Still, we may make any required adjustments when Pluto reverses course and flows forward for seven months.
This high-profile planet never does anything halfway. After a Pluto retrograde, situations might resemble “Extreme Makeover: Inner Self Edition.” But when we emerge for the big reveal, revitalized and strengthened, we will praise the god of the underworld for making us incredibly attractive and seductive.
